


Nocturne/Butterfly

by androidkisser



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Healing, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-27 21:13:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10816869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/androidkisser/pseuds/androidkisser
Summary: 2B has a problem.Who knows who can solve it?





	1. Nocturne

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo... not really sticking to the structure of my previous upload (which I still plan to work on), I wanted to write some different emotions between these two, other than simply JUST lovey stuff. 
> 
> It's sort-of-mostly-sticking to the canon, with some probably obvious exceptions, but oh well.  
> I hope you enjoy. No sex this time, I actually wrote the scene and then cut it out because it didn't fit.  
> Please leave criticism, thank you! (ノд`)

“ _The hell was with that_?!” screamed 9S, angrily throwing his backpack into the corner of his quarters with enough force to make even 2B flinch.

“I simply thought that if –”

“You _simply thought_? They could've _both_ been finished for good!”

“I told you, I did what was best for the mission –”

“The mission? The _mission_? You're joking, right? The first time they ever let our operators on Earth, and you care more about what happens with a shit-pointless _recon_ mission? If we bite it, there's about fifty more of these stupid bodies waiting for us to have our backups put into!” He pinched at his expendable arm, furiously; his face was screwed up in rage aimed entirely at _her_ , something 2B had never seen before. “We're ' _important_ '! If they die, do you know what they do? Do you? They just make another operator from scratch! They don't even god-damn get preset personalities!”

“I...” began 2B. She hadn't known that. She bit her lip.

“Oh, now you get it? Not going to lecture me with another 'emotions are prohibited'? 'Keep them in check'? Don't you even _care_ about 6O?”

“Of course I do, but you don't understand, I don't just mean the mission, I mean –”

“You mean what, 2B?”

“Let me speak,” she said, exasperated. She felt his anger, his frustration, his confusion. All of them.

“...”

“If you'd gone after them, that debris could have...” she stopped short of finishing that sentence. She had already said too much, anyway.

“...”

“Don't give me that, 9S,” she said, her own frustration rising, evident in her voice.

“Or else what,” he mumbled, his eyes darting to everything other than her. His rage had subsided and given way to resignation. “Do they give the order just for pissing you off, now?”

2B looked as if she had just been kicked in the stomach.

“That's just about the expression I had when I found out, yeah,” continued 9S, sitting down on the edge of the bed, putting his head in his hands. He was fighting the emotion rising in his voice, trying to keep it steady. “I don't care, though. They almost died today. Do what you have to. I'd rather forget for a bit, actually.”

2B simply stood there, dumbstruck. _He knew? Since when? How many does he remember? Why? Why had he kept up an act? Why?_

Their pods weren't with them, so there was no way for anyone to know that 9S had discovered too much, again. Anyone except the two people in the room.

“Don't just stand there, I _know_ what you have to do now.”

“Tell me why,” she said, lips trembling.

“Why... what?”

“If you knew... if you knew all along, if you knew why, then... why would you throw that in my face...?” She was on the verge of tears.

It was 9S's turn to feel winded.

“I mean, you can't just... I'm not more important than they are, 2B. You can't keep putting me first. You know there's another one waiting.”

 _Wait_... she thought. _If he's saying that, then..._ “9S,” she said, sounding choked. “How much do you know about this?”

“I start being the way I was programmed to be, they make you – yeah.”

 _Then he doesn't know how I...feel...?_ “9S, you...” She pulled down her combat visor. Tears ran down her face freely now. This time, _this time_ , she'd tell him, and he wouldn't forget. She didn't want to let him forget.

“Look at me, Nines,” she said, her voice breaking.

“Did you just call me...?”

“Yes,” she sobbed, “it was something _I_ said to you, the first time we were ever partnered. Do you know how much it hurt when you _almost_ remembered that? Do you know how much it hurt when you asked me to call you by it the next time, because _everyone_ calls you that? I don't even know how you remembered that much, but – but –”

He looked up; he had never seen her this way. Her mask had shattered entirely. She was just a broken mess of a girl now, and it was his fault. It broke something inside him to hear those sobs wrack her tiny body.

“Look, I didn't –”

“I _know_ you didn't! Let me _finish_!” She said, between sniffles. “I'm not even upset with _you_... I know, I know, I know, I _know_ what I've done... I know! But _you_ don't know everything... I don't know how I can...”

“What is it?” he said, his voice gentle now. Whatever this was, he felt like total scum. He made her cry. He almost wished she _would_ kill him, just so he wouldn't have to live with that.

“A chip,” she said.

“Huh?”

“A spare storage chip, do you have one here?”

“Yeah, I... there's some in that drawer, what are you –”

“Wait.” She fidgeted around for a second, putting her hands behind her head. They simply existed in silence together for a few minutes, while she took care of what she wanted to do. He looked at the floor. She watched him. When she was done, she handed him the chip, and sat next to him on the bed. “Put this in.”

“This is... no, 2B, this is –”

“Yes, it's... my – the most important memories of you,” she said, her cheeks flushed reddish-purple. “All of them.”

9S fumbled at the back of his neck, inserting the chip.

“You filled... an entire backup chip?”

“Yes,” she said, hiccoughing pathetically, but forcing her face into some kind of a smile for his sake. He hadn't known. He didn't deserve to feel the feelings that the expression on his face betrayed. “I actually did leave some out, though. You talk a lot.”

 

***

 

He closed his eyes and began to access the data. The room faded out, but he was still vaguely aware of his surroundings as the memories began to play.

 

_Yes, of course, Nine...s?_

_**What did you say, 2B?** _

_I think... I said Nines..._

_**Oh, that works too, don't worry about it! I kinda like it, actually!** _

 

_You can't do that, Nines, command will find out!_

 

_Oh, you're so silly sometimes. You're all wet now, and -_

 

_Nines, don't try to modify your pod, command will -_

 

_Nines, I told you, don't do that when I'm in rest mode! What if I thought you were an enemy, and –_

_**You worry too much, 2B!** _

 

_That smile suits you, Nines._

 

_...I'm sorry, Nines... I'm... so sorry..._

 

He was aware of her resting her head on his shoulder, gently weeping. The memories continued on.

 

_I love him._

_I need him._

_He's everything._

_Why this?_

_He'll hate me._

_He'll hate me. Hate me. Hate me. Hate me. Hate me. Hate me. Hate me._

_I love him._

_I want to be near him._

_I love him._

_Can't let him love me._

_It'll happen again._

_Keep it inside._

_I love him._

_Keep it inside._

_I love him._

_Don't show it._

_I love him._

_My Nines._

 

The scene shifted from pitch blackness to a more tangible memory. This was... the two of them, together, in the command room? And they were talking to...

 

_Thank you 9S, said Operator 21O. You did a good job today, even by your standards._

_**Oh, uh, thank you ma'am! Hey, let's go over this data together later, okay? There's some great stuff in there!** _

 

He felt 2B's fists clench in the memory. He felt her teeth grit. He felt her screaming inside.

 

_He's mine, mine, mine. Stop it. Stop it. Don't you dare take him._

_Nines, don't go with her._

_Don't you remember me? Don't you remember?_

_She wouldn't do what I've done..._

_Keep it inside._

_I miss him._

_Keep it inside._

_He's mine, though._

 

In his room, her arms wrapped around him. She just took deep breaths.

 

_9S, don't do that._

_9S, don't say that._

_Emotions are prohibited._

_9S, focus on the enemy._

_9S, engage the hostile._

_I love him._

_I love him._

_9S, let me handle it._

_Can't let anything happen to him._

_He can't fall for me._

_Nine...ze_

_I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him love him love him love him love him love him love him love him love him love him_

 

A final scene – 2B leaning over him. He was resting. She went in to kiss him, but... pulled back at the last second.

 

As the memories came to an end, he found that he too, was crying. She had laid him back against his pillow, and she was sobbing next to him.

“Do you see it now?” she choked out. “Do you see? What they made me...? You're... you're my...”

“I'm sorry,” said 9S, holding her tight. “I'm sorry I didn't remember. I should have remembered.”

“It's not your fault, but... Nines, I'm done, I can't... I can't do it again... I need you...”

He simply kissed her head, and let one of his hands come to rest in her hair, holding her head against his chest. What _could_ he do? Not even an hour ago, he had wanted to die. By her hand. He had wanted to make her do that again. Go through that again. He felt sick, but she needed him now. It all made sense. He owed it to himself, or however many iterations of himself there had been before him. He had lost count. He owed it to every single one of them that had fallen for her, time and time again.

“So we'll run, 2B,” he said.

She looked up at him with panic-stricken eyes.

“ _No_! If they find us, they'll wipe us _both_! Do you want that?”

“Do you think I'd let that happen?”

“I can't – no, I _won't_ forget you, Nines. I don't want to exist as someone who doesn't appreciate your smile. Doesn't know how to make you laugh... I know I don't look it now, but... I used to...” she broke into loud sobs again, “I used to make you laugh every day...”

He was utterly shattered into pieces seeing her like this. But he knew, he _knew_ that he had to pick himself up and put himself back together.

“I believe it,” he said heavily. “We can do this, though. We can.”

“But what _if_ they –”

“If we _both_ forget everything,” he began, pausing for a second, “then it's not really our story any more, is it? We won't be living the same life. We'll die together with our memories of right now. Maybe the fresh-off-the-line models of us get their own tale to spin, together. We won't know. We'll only know _us_.”

She opened her mouth and shut it again, processing what he said. He was right.

“If... if you look at it that way, it just comes down to not wanting to die...”

“Yeah... but neither of us is going to. I won't let it happen.” He could still hear every single _I love him_ echoing inside his mind.

“You saw... _all_... of the things on that chip, didn't you?”

“Yeah, I did,” he said, a little confused. _Had he missed something?_

“There's something... I want to finish,” she said, still sniffling, and leaned over him. This time, she didn't pull back. She didn't even consider it.

9S struggled not to white out when he felt her lips. She was barely pushing against him, her lips brushing over his, her tongue slipping out just to lick along the inside of his top lip. The tip of his tongue met the tip of hers, and they gently allowed them to slowly wrap around each others', like two lovers performing a waltz.

She finally broke away after what felt like a lifetime.

“I just... wanted to make that a proper memory for us both...” she said, breathing heavily. “In case the worst does happen.”

9S looked up at her. Those clear, sparkling eyes. Her hair a little out of place. Her lips. Her perfect little nose.

“How come you didn't do that the last time?”

She answered his question with a question, “Was that your first?”

“I, uh... yeah, I think so. I don't think I... I mean...” he thought hard. _Would he have kissed anyone else?_ “Yeah, it was my first... why?”

“I thought as much...” said 2B, sounding relieved all the same. “I didn't want... I didn't want your first to be with someone so... dishonest. I didn't want to steal it from you.”

“2B...” His expression was a mixture of bittersweet happiness and the desire to cry again.

“I'm... glad you know, now. Even if they break us into a million pieces.”

“I don't think I even have a million pieces, 2B,” he said, making her laugh. She lightly punched his shoulder.

“Laughing with you feels nice,” she sighed, lying back down and nestling her head on his chest. “Doing everything with you felt nice, Nines. Even if I couldn't show it.”

They both lay silent, just taking in the gravity of the situation. They were close enough to feel the low hums of each others' black boxes.

“You'll have to hack the pods,” 2B mumbled into his neck.

“I know I'm good, but... those things aren't _meant_ to be hacked,” he said, sighing. “It's not like I haven't tried before, but –”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I was –” he flushed with embarrassment, “– trying to get it to play old world music that 21O dug up...”

She laughed, and laughed, until she snorted. Then she laughed some more.

 _Cute_ , thought 9S.

“If it comes to it, I'll take care of them myself, and you can make us some new ones,” she said. “Old world music, Nines, really?” She burst out laughing all over again.

He looked at her still tear-stained face, as fresh tears fell on it. Except these were tears of pure joy, not pain. He wanted to make her happy. Keep her safe.

He kissed her on the forehead. Then he kissed her on the tip of her nose. Then her lips, lingering briefly there, kissing her through the giggles. Then her jaw. Her neck. He paused for a moment.

“Do you want to hear it?”

“You have it?” she asked, giggles subsiding.

“I made a smaller version of the jukebox they had in the Resistance Camp,” he said. She felt a little pride swelling in her. Her boy was so clever.

“Yes, then,” she said. “Of course.”

“I... want to play you my favourite, actually. It's a really old piece of music, probably... 10 millennia or so old? Did you know that humans used to gather and make songs with these old bits of wood, and animal hair? There'd be different groups, there'd be...”

She honestly couldn't say she was listening to the words he was saying, only the sound of his voice. The sound of his voice explaining things she could never have hoped to know without him. The sound of his voice with that insatiable curiosity, the joy of telling her something she didn't know. She hadn't even heard old world music before, but he was so... passionate about it. He was passionate about everything. She wanted to share in it, all of it.

“...but my favourite was done with this _huge_ thing called a piano, and it's... well, just listen, okay?”

He clicked a few buttons on his little creation, and it began to make a gentle whirring sound. He lay down next to her again and wrapped his legs around hers. She inched herself closer to him.

A soft tune began to play. It started off delicate – one or two notes, followed by a sequence of pleasant combinations of them. A light melody came into play a few seconds after – it sounded like rainfall, if it had a different tone for each drop.

“It's... beautiful,” whispered 2B.

“They called it a 'nocturne', I think,” said 9S in hushed tones.

“Mm.”

He kissed her again.

“Do you really like it?”

“I love it, Nines.”

“Do you want to know how I kept catching on?”

“...?”

“You know...”

“... Mm.”

“This little thing,” he said, pointing to his creation. “The first time, I think a year or so ago, I lost it behind my bed. When they clear out my belongings every time... well, they missed it.”

“Mm?”

“I found it a few weeks after, but I didn't know what it was, or why it was there. I thought maybe it was 21O's since she comes here to leave mission stuff for me sometimes, but she didn't recognise it...”

“Mm...”

“Eventually, I figured out how to make it work again, and... when I heard the song, I remembered... _something_ ,” he said, not breaking eye contact with her. “I didn't know what I even remembered, or felt, but... I listened at least a couple times a night, trying to see what feeling it was.”

2B simply held him a little closer, hanging on his every word this time.

“And then... one night, while I was listening, you sent me a transmission, and... as soon as I heard your voice when it was playing, I knew what the feeling was. I mean, I hadn't fallen for you yet that time, at least I don't think so... but I had this feeling of _safety_.”

He paused for a moment.

“Once I felt that, I knew that something had to be up... like, why else would I remember something like that? It's not like I'm supposed to feel... _anything_ , for anyone, after a reset. Anyway, I'd hide it in the same place every time, once I remembered. They never looked, so...”

He paused again.

“I'm sorry I yelled at you,” he said, sincerely.

“Don't worry about –”

“It was just hard, with you the way you were. I knew nearly the whole time, this time. I didn't know why, but... I just knew, somehow, that you'd changed. You didn't feel like you. I still felt safe, but... I don't know. I don't remember all the details – actually, the finer details are what I'll probably never remember.”

“Mm...”

“You don't know how much it means to me, _us_ aside, that you trusted those memories to me... will you share more with me, when we're safe?”

“Of course,” she said, her eyes filling with tears again. She wanted to give it all back to him. All of it. Every smile, every argument, every play-fight, everything.

“I'm glad you're you again, 2B.”

“Me too,” she said.

He chuckled softly. “Whenever I felt bad this time, I just played this... and I remembered that feeling of safety with you. That never left me. I don't think a thousand resets could get rid of that.”

“You keep... you always find a way to say things that fill up the hole inside me... you'll be around to make sure I stay me this time, won't you?”

“I'm not going anywhere,” he stated softly.

“I want to continue making memories with you. Ones we'll both remember.”

“We will, 2B,” said 9S, stroking her hair. “I promise. In the morning, we'll –”

“Please... don't think about tomorrow just yet. Let's stay here a while longer.”

A pause, followed by a smile.

“I love you, Nines.”

He nodded, smiling back.

“Love you too, 2B.”

 


	2. Butterfly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively, what if...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What if 2B decided she couldn't put up with his shit?  
> No, but really, I love 6O, she's so pure, and deserves to be happy, and, and... it's all in the interests of cuteness, right? ｡･ﾟ･(ﾉД`)
> 
> I actually teared up writing 6O because she truly is pure light.
> 
> !! This is just an alternate scenario to my first chapter, not a continuation. !!

“ _What the hell was –_ wait, where are you going?” 9S asked, angrily.

“Away from you. You're acting irrationally.”

“ _Irrationally_? Seriously, what the hell are you say-”

2B sighed exasperatedly and pushed a button on the exterior panel that shut him off in his room. He didn't follow.

 _Good_ , she thought. He was being a pain. She knew she'd done what was right, as painful as it was to admit it. If she let him out of her sight, Command would probably have reprimanded her.

That said... she felt bad. 6O had been so excited to see Earth, and she had just... let her guard down entirely. She didn't even think the machines were capable of organising ambushes. The tunnel had been so damn _obvious_ , in hindsight. Why did she even agree?

She had stopped walking.

 _Wait_...

She was outside 6O's room. Did she care that much to check up on her? Was it just subconscious? Thinking about her, she must have just...

2B stood deliberating her actions and staring at the door for a solid minute before the door opened in front of her.

“Oh! 2B?! What are you doing here? I was just heading to maintenance, I have to go there daily – did you know?! They're so rough up there with me! Like they don't have time for me! I'm important too, jeez!”

2B barely had time to process 6O's torrent of speech.

“Oh, no, I just...”

“Did you want to come in? My appointment isn't for an hour, I just wanted to make sure they actually gave me the proper amount of time, you know?!”

“I –” began 2B, before 6O took her by the arm anyway and pulled her inside. She was in her off-duty gear, which meant no veil, no face mask. Her lips were a fresh cherry blossom pink, and had a glossy sheen to them.

“Oooh I haven't had visitors in _forever_! Do you like the decorations? Command says I shouldn't have them, and they even took them away once, but I just made new ones anyway, and...”

2B tuned her out for a second to look at the decorations in question. 6O had made little models of various flora from earth – there were desert roses, lunar tears, and all kinds in between. She had used different fabrics and materials to make the leaves and petals, and they looked decidedly very pretty, not to mention lifelike. Little chains hung from the ceiling with even smaller replicas lining them from top to bottom. They sparkled gently in the artificial light.

“...and I wanted some _actual_ plants some day, but they told me that it's against “protocol”! What's that about, right?! It's not like I don't know how to make lights that simulate sunlight, and I'd totally be careful, and... oh! Sorry, I got carried away,” 6O giggled, then winced and doubled over, holding a hand to her side.

“Are you okay?” asked 2B, rushing towards her.

“Yeah, yeah, it's fine, I just... sometimes it hurts to laugh, you know? Or cough, too! That one hurts more.” It took 6O quite a while to realise 2B was supporting her weight. “Oh, seriously, you don't have to...!”

“Be quiet for once,” said 2B, in a commanding, yet still kind voice. She placed the girl gently on her bed.

“Oh, no, really, thank you...”

“I'm opening a line to maintenance; I'll tell them to come to you.”

“They won't do that! 2B, listen! Seriously, don't, I don't want any trouble for y-”

“This is Unit 2B to maintenance. Operator 6O isn't in any fit state to make the journey up to you. Requesting a visit to her quarters. Yes, later is fine. Affirmative. 2B out.”

“How did you even...?!”

“I'm important,” she said, bitterly.

“Well, duh, everyone knows that! You're like, the coolest, 2B!”

“Don't strain yourself. Just take it easy, they'll be able to come down in around four hours.”

“What am I gonna do for four hours, huh?! Wait, where are you going?”

“I have some things I should do,” she said, thinking of 9S. It'd make things difficult if she didn't clear the air with him.

She felt a tug on her sleeve.

“Hey... don't go, okay? I wouldn't ask, but...” 6O had a decidedly uncharacteristic and worried expression painted across her soft features. “It hurts sometimes, and... I can't always make it stop...”

2B sometimes wondered in the past why Command had assigned her to 6O. It was obvious her personality would've sat better with 9S, and she envied the scanner for having a calm, reasoned operator that didn't waste any time with idle chatter. But... seeing her now, almost begging for her company, she thought of all the times 6O had almost broken through her façade. Sending her excited mails about horoscopes. Sending follow-up mails, furious that horoscopes were totally worthless. At one point they infuriated her, but after a time, she started to appreciate how much her constant barrage of chatter soothed her, and kept her sane. It was nice to have someone around who was unaffected by her problems.

“... Alright,” said 2B, softly. 6O had shown nothing but concern for her during her own repairs after the fight with Eve, and she felt she at least had a chance to return the favour, now.

“Really?! Oh, thank you! I have some things you might find interesting to pass the time, um... in that drawer there's a _really_ ancient old world book I got given by 21O on 'Flowers of the Northern Continents”, um... there's one on butterflies – have you seen a butterfly on Earth, 2B?! They're like, so beautiful, and delicate, and...”

“You really are a fan of nature, aren't you?”

“Oh, you bet! There's also recordings of birdsong in that drawer, I think... I know you've seen birds on Earth, but some of these have been extinct for thousands of years, so it's really something to hear them, you know? I think I have most species now... I have them all catalogued, and I tried to match them up with some of my records, but I'm not sure I'll ever manage to get them all...”

2B didn't remember sitting down on the edge of the bed, but she was listening intently to 6O for once. She found listening to her interests... interesting.

“Have you ever seen how the Earth used to look, 2B?”

“A few photographic records, here and there.”

“Do you want to see a few more?” asked 6O, already reaching over to her bedside cabinet, before holding her side again in pain. “Haha, ouch... um... they're in the bottom drawer, it's on a separate screen unit. They don't really like us having our personal data on the system, something about “server space”? All these rules, jeez...”

2B got off the bed and knelt down to rifle through the drawer, leaving her head at the same level as 6O's. She looked at 2B's hair, which was a lot closer than the drawer was. She reached out.

“Your hairband's coming a bit loose, lemme fix it for you...” She fumbled with it a little, since she was coming at it from a strange angle, but ultimately managed to straighten it out, combing 2B's hair around it with her fingertips. “There! As pretty as ever, 2B!”

2B continued searching through the drawer, doing her best not to show any reaction. It was a strange, alien sensation to have someone else put their fingers in her hair, let alone such delicate ones. It certainly didn't feel bad, though.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, finally finding what she was looking for. “This one, right?”

“Yeah! That's the one,” said 6O excitedly, propping herself up against the headboard and rearranging pillows carefully beneath her back. She slid across to the side and patted the bed next to her enthusiastically. “C'mooon, 2B, come look properly!”

It was hard to argue with such innocence. 2B pushed herself up the bed, resting next to her and taking care to avoid touching her fragile, injured side.

“Okay, so... this one's from what _used_ to be a huge, huge city! We don't know the names of any of them, the data just came to us like this, but... look at that giant tower! Isn't it pretty?!”

The photo was taken long before night had stopped being a regular occurrence, and the tower was illuminated with lights from top to bottom. It stood on four “legs”, pointing towards a central platform, then gradually tapered off to a large spike.

“It's beautiful,” mouthed 2B, entirely honestly.

6O beamed. “I have more! Hold on just a second, there's... mm... oh, this one's one of my favourites –”

It was a picture taken from a lakeside. The water was crystal clear, serene, without a single ripple in sight. Trees framed both sides of the photo, draping their pretty leaves and flowers over the scene. There was a small, wooden jetty on the bank of the lake, and at the end of a short dirt path leading upwards, there was a tiny cabin, also made of wood.

“I've always thought... once the war is over, I'd love to live somewhere like this! It's just... it looks so peaceful, you know? Wouldn't that be the best? After all this mess, I really just want to... settle down. I hope there's still places like this left...”

2B's mouth was slightly agape. _A place to settle down_... That did sound truly wonderful. She had always seen 6O as the adventurous, excitable type though, so it was a little surprising that she'd want something so... simple.

“I can see why,” said 2B, thoughtfully. It really was a lovely photo. She could almost see herself fishing from the lakeside.

“I'm glad,” said 6O, sighing. “I'm really glad you get it, 2B! I knew you would...” The operator allowed her head to rest on 2B's shoulder, yawning. “Sorry... I'm really... kind of tired...”

“If you need some rest time,” said 2B, making to get up, “I can let you –”

“ _No_! I mean... don't go... I'll stay up, just don't leave me, okay? I've been alone since it happened, and now you're here...”

6O suddenly looked close to tears. 2B, naturally, _really_ wasn't used to dealing with others' emotions.

“Is it really helping you?”

“Mmhmm...” sniffled 6O, flinching when 2B settled back down next to her.

“Are you sure you're alright?” asked 2B, genuinely concerned.

“I'm fine, it's just –”

“Let me take a look at it.”

“No, don't... I don't want you to see...”

2B had already started to lift her shirt at the side. As she exposed more and more of her, she saw the extent of what the machines had done to her fragile body.

“It's fine... it doesn't hurt as much as it did... it looks worse than it is, really! I promise!”

 _Oh, gods..._ thought 2B, looking at the damage. Her artificial skin was all but torn off in that area – no doubt that was what the maintenance later was for. Her circuitry was still exposed a little, and there were servos missing from where there should be more servos, and there were some holes further up, her ribcage was dented, and –

6O interrupted her thoughts by taking hold of 2B's cheeks with the palms of her hands, gently. “I promise, it'll be fixed soon, so don't worry, okay? Jeez, 2B... don't make a face like that...”

“I should've been there for you...” was all she could say, looking straight at 6O, her gaze held in place by her operator's hands.

“You're here now, aren't you? That's enough for me,” she answered, planting a soft kiss on 2B's forehead.

2B said nothing, but her cheeks turned a visible pink.

“Oh, um... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have –”

“It's alright,” whispered 2B. “You're right. I'm here for you now.”

2B leaned upwards, taking 6O's wrists in her hands. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but she just... she wasn't good with words. She knew that. All she could think to do was to try another way of showing her affection, her sympathy, her apology, her –

6O took the soft feeling on her lips with a stunned expression, before it relaxed to give way to one of relief and pure bliss. It wasn't an especially passionate kiss, nor was it intense – she surmised that 2B had never even done it before. As they broke apart, neither of them spoke for a minute or so. They just kept looking at each other, both blushing now.

“You're just like a butterfly too, 2B...” said 6O, breaking the silence. “You're delicate, and b-beautiful, and...”

2B looked away. Nobody had ever complimented her like that before.

“I-I don't mean that you're so delicate you can't do anything! Butterflies are f-fragile and they're not really great at doing anything other than eating nectar! You're so talented and you're strong and you can protect people, and... and... you make me happy... happier even than any of the things I have in this room...”

2B still didn't look back at her yet. She had no idea how to react. It was so overwhelmingly lovely, so sweet, that she didn't know how to process it.

“W-when I was assigned to you,” 6O went on, her voice shaky, “I didn't know what to expect, you know? You're like, kind of hard to read, and I thought I was annoying you, so I tried to just hold back... but I can't help how I am in the end, you know? I'm loud, I talk way too much, I _definitely_ don't know when to keep my thoughts to myself, I call at bad times, I –”

She took a deep breath, stopping herself from going off track too much.

“But as time went on... I noticed the little things, I n-noticed how caring you are. You went out of your way to send me photos of flowers, because you knew I liked them... even the other units I was paired with before never went that far! Only 21O does, and that's like, just because we're both operators, and she likes to share that kinda stuff. I do the same for her, and...”

She leaned over with her good side and began to softly run her fingers through 2B's hair, where she had fixed her headband before. Except this time, she slid it clean off her head, so she could draw longer lines with her fingernails.

“I've... always been happy to look after you, and...” She started to sniffle again, but kept herself composed as best as she could. “I'm so glad you at least feel that much for me, you know?”

2B turned back towards the girl, whose eyes were filling up with tears.

“You're too much, 6O,” she said, sighing.

“O-oh, I know that...”

“You're making me feel... I don't have a word for it. It's warm. The way you say these things, the things you say themselves, just... it makes me want to do what I just did, over and over again. This is hard for me, so...”

2B took a few seconds to compose herself. 6O kept quiet. She knew 2B hadn't finished, and for once, she didn't want to interrupt her, or fill the silence. She just kept running her fingers through her hair, and 2B never made any attempt to stop her.

“This is hard for me, yes, but it's also important. I don't want to see you like this again. It hurts me, and I don't know why it hurts this badly, but... _you're_ important.”

Tears flowed freely down 6O's face now, staining her cheeks.

2B placed her hand over the damaged spot on 6O's side, as gently as she possibly could. The operator didn't flinch.

“I won't let anything like this ever happen to you again,” stated 2B, firmly, but quietly. There was no coldness in her voice.

“2B...”

“I'll stay with you for as long as it takes until they fix this,” she said.

6O smiled, but then her expression changed to one of mild worry.

“...what about after that?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I'm all fixed up... will you still... will you come back later?”

2B hadn't thought that far ahead yet. She was somehow still surprised that 6O had.

“I...”

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked,” the smile returning to 6O's face, even if it did look a little strained.

“No, it's fine, I just...” began 2B. Her thoughts drifted to 9S for a second. Her thoughts then also drifted to the pain she felt around him, constantly. The guilt. The agony. It'd be so much easier to detach from him emotionally if those needs were being met elsewhere...

 _No, that's selfish, disgusting_ , she thought to herself. _6O is worth more than that._

But what if that warm feeling was something genuine, too? Maybe it was worth giving it a chance? If it didn't feel right, she could always just come clean to her quickly, and explain why she couldn't...

 _That seems acceptable,_ she thought, as she cleared it with herself.

6O was watching her think, her head tilted to the side ever so slightly.

“Yes, I'll come back as soon as they're done.”

“You will? Y-you really mean it?”

“Yes, I really mean it.”

“Oh, 2B... thank you! I p-promise I'll... I'll...” For once, 6O was lost for words, and simply covered her mouth with her free hand, tears still rolling down her face.

“Don't talk, just relax,” said 2B softly, laying the girl back down on the bed. “' _I'm here, and that's enough_ ', right?”

“Using my own words against me is plain mean, 2B,” said 6O, giggling, pouting, and sniffling all at the same time. It was a very cute combination.

“I suppose it is,” she pondered out loud, the corners of her mouth curling into the tiniest smile.

“That suits you, 2B,” said 6O, leaning in to kiss that smile.

 _Thank you,_ thought 2B, kissing back.

 


	3. Butterfly, 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 6O tries to get through to 2B.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehehe, this one's a direct continuation of the previous chapter, so... I hope you're okay with more 2B6O, because it's so precious to me. I know 2B9S is canon now in its entirety, but I didn't want to give up on this one, gomenasorry 
> 
> There will be probably one, maybe two more chapters of this? Depends on how much of this I get out of my system, you know?!  
> I hope you enjoy.

6O tried to be everything and more for 2B, and for the most part, she succeeded. She came by 2B's quarters whenever she wasn't planetside (and slept in them anyway when she was). She listened to all of the problems she was struggling with, whether it was about her weapons, the terrain she was fighting on, her moral qualms with killing certain machines...

There was just... one issue that she was having trouble dealing with. She just couldn't seem to get the other girl to open up to her, physically. She was comfortable with little kisses, and could often be persuaded to let that get a little more passionate, but 6O felt outright uncomfortable pushing for more. If it was something 2B genuinely didn't want, she could handle that. What she couldn't handle was not knowing. 6O told herself that she'd have to find out, for her own sanity.

 

***

 

“...2B?”

“What is it?”

They were lying next to each other, wearing only their off-duty shirts in 6O's quarters. The lights were off, and the room was only softly illuminated by whatever starlight found its way in through the high window on the wall.

“Do you think I'm pretty?”

“...mm?”

“Well, it's just... I've told you so many times I think you're beautiful, right? And it's not like I'm fishing for you to say it back, I know it's not _you_ to do that... but I kinda... sorta... need to know what you think? It's important...”

2B opened her eyes, and turned over onto her side to face 6O.

“I think you're very pretty,” she said, her expression betraying only the faintest hint of curiosity. “Why?”

“Oh, I'm so glad you think so!” 6O said excitedly, blushing a little. “Well, it's just... okay – I'm gonna do something, okay? Promise you won't be mad, okay?”

“I... promise?”

“Okay, okay. Okay. _Okay_!”

6O was breathing far too heavily. Now the time was here, she was almost too nervous to go through with it. Still, if she didn't do it now, she'd feel like this tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that...

She took one of 2B's hands in her own, making the curiosity painted on her face a little more obvious; taking one final deep breath, she placed the palm of 2B's hand on her taut stomach.

“Is there something wrong with this spot?” asked 2B, quizzically. “Are you in pain?”

“No, it's – ugh! _2B_! How would you feel if... uh... okay, what if I just...”

She pushed 2B's hand further up, over her ribs, and let it settle right on top of her breast. She screwed her eyes up tight, waiting for the girl to recoil, or reprimand her. But neither of those things came.

What she did see when she opened her eyes was 2B's own eyes, transfixed in near-horror on her own hand.

“2B?! What's wrong? I'm sorry, I should've asked first, I just thought – ohhh! I'm sorry!” She said, as 2B withdrew her hand, breathing heavily too. “I-it's okay if you _are_ mad...”

“I'm not,” 2B said, slowly.

“What is it then? Did you just... is it me? Did I do something you didn't like? Did it feel weird?”

“I've... 6O, I've never...”

“I _know_! I could tell from when you first kissed me! It doesn't bother _me_ , but... but... well, we've been like this for months now, you know? We've gotten so close, and we've shared so much, but... is it that you don't want to? Do you hate the idea of it? … is it because I'm... a girl...?”

She looked into 2B's eyes, imploring her to just... _tell_ her. But what she saw in her eyes as she remained silent wasn't disdain, or disgust, or disinterest, it was –

“2B... are you... scared?”

2B closed her eyes for a second. As she reopened them, 6O saw they were filling up with tears.

“It's not like... like I don't want to, with you... I just... I don't know how, or – or what you want... or how to ask, or – anything, really...”

6O just lay there, stunned. Did 2B think she would've reacted badly? Was she just embarrassed? Was she – no, this wasn't the time. It didn't matter _why_ , all that mattered was how she was going to fix it.

“Hey... _hey_! Don't you dare cry!” said 6O, pressing her palm lightly against the other girl's cheek. “You think I won't be here for you every step of the way? I don't _care_ how long it takes or what you need or what I have to do or – or anything like that, 2B! I was just so scared it was something to do with me, you know?! I'm actually... I'm so relieved right now, 2B...”

She could fix this. It'd be okay.

“It really doesn't bother you? I've never... let anyone in like this, and...”

“It's _fine_ ,” said 6O, cupping her hand underneath 2B's chin and lifting her head to look her right in the eyes. “You can trust me, okay, 2B?”

“... 6O...”

She loved hearing her name come from those lips.

“Just relax, okay, 2B?” she purred, taking her hand in her own again. This time, though, she made 2B's hand wrap around the back of her neck, and the white haired girl allowed her fingers to explore the hair that met the skin there.

It gave 6O tingles that were hard to ignore, but she endeavoured to do so. She let go of 2B's hand, and rolled over onto her side.

“I-if you want to stop me, just say something or do something and I'll... yeah. Okay.” The last word was more for herself than anything. 2B just nodded gently, avoiding her gaze and breathing raggedly.

6O started to slide 2B's shirt up, over her hips, then her waist, then finally, with some trepidation, up over her breasts. It came to rest bunched up just on top of them. 2B squirmed a little.

“Ohmyg – I mean I ... you're so beautiful, 2B...” She couldn't help herself. She wasn't even aware of the time it took to lean over her perfect body and start kissing her stomach.

It wasn't unpleasant at all, thought 2B. Or at least, physically, it wasn't. Mentally, she just wanted to push 6O off her. Make her stop feeling so embarrassed. Make her temperature start coming down. God, it was too much. _Feels good though_...

6O trailed lines along her taut tummy with the flat of her tongue, alternating it with the tip to count her ribs and lick along the underside of her breasts. She could feel 2B squirming underneath her still.

_Is she enjoying this... like at all, though..._?

She decided at that moment that since she wasn't being stopped, she'd just... do everything she'd wanted to do for her. For months, now. Months of aching inside.

6O drew her thigh upwards between 2B's own, and it lodged somewhere halfway up them. She pouted a little, having wanted to rub it against... _no, no, take your time, jeez_...

She decided to try to loosen her up a little more, enough to make her start enjoying herself, just a little bit; she caught 2B's eye and shot her an evil smile, which was enough to make the girl turn crimson. She allowed her tongue to travel further upwards still, and dance around 2B's exposed nipple, without actually touching it. 6O watched with a hungry kind of joy as it hardened from her close proximity teasing. She stopped for a second to position her head right next to 2B's ear, and whisper in the most sing-song voice she could muster, “2-B! I'm-gonna-make-you-feel-good!”

2B tried to turn her head away from the teasing, but 6O's hand caught her cheek before she could, leaving her ear wide open to that wicked tongue. At this point she _did_ try to push 6O off her, but only because it was far too sensitive to handle, and she had to stave off the urge to dissolve into girlish giggles. Which she succeeded in doing, for around four seconds.

“Hehehe _SIXOH_ stohohop it... you're making me look so stupid...”

6O withdrew her tongue for just long enough to whisper a “Good,” in her ear, before going right back to it, letting her free fingers wander all over 2B's breast, including over the now incredibly hard nipple, rolling it between them and pinching it.

2B alternated rapidly between giggling and letting out a new sound, a sound that was such sweet music to the other girl's ears. Eventually she stopped torturing 2B's ear, and let her lips work their way back down to her neck, sucking, nibbling, biting, licking, and everything in between. Now there was only one sound – the sound of 2B's light, breathy moans, which permeated every fibre of 6O's being.

She found that as she attempted once more to shift her leg upwards, 2B sighed, and parted them slightly, enough for her thigh to come into contact with –

_Oh my god, oh my god,_ thought 6O, _she's... she's so wet... I didn't even... oh my god..._

2B bit her lip. She had never felt so embarrassed in all her existence, and yet... she wanted nothing more for that thigh to keep moving like it was. Wanted her operator's fingers to keep playing with her breasts. Wanted that warm breath on her neck to never, ever stop.

“6O...”

_Oh... it's too much, she wants it to stop..._

“Make me yours...”

_…?!_

“...make me yours, right now,” 2B breathed.

“Oh, 2B...” moaned 6O into her neck, before returning to form, “you bet...”

2B giggled again. 6O never changed.

Her thigh felt so _good_ there. Why had she ever denied herself this? Letting 6O do whatever she wanted to her felt... incredible. She wanted nothing more than to somehow offer _more_ of herself to her. She found herself grinding on the operator's leg. Found herself guiding her hand around her neck. She wanted 6O to take everything from her. Including her control. The one thing she valued most of all. She wanted her to take it. _Take it_... she implored with her eyes, gazing downwards at 6O, hoping she wouldn't have to explain it.

6O wasn't really sure what to make of the fact that her hand was being maneuvered carefully around her lover's throat. It was obviously something 2B wanted, but... did she want to be hurt? _No, that wouldn't be it_... what was it? 6O tried an experimental light tightening of her fingers, before softly dragging her nails down the sides of the girl's windpipe, then settling back down into the light grip she had. 2B moaned hard, and shifted beneath her, pushing her wetness against her thigh again. _Ohh, so it's like that?_

6O kept her fingers gripped around the girl's throat, but not tightly enough to cause any difficulty breathing or real discomfort. It was more symbolic, she surmised.

“2B... I... I love you, so...”

“Mm-hmmhhh...?” was all she could say.

“So I'm going to... make you feel really good, okay?”

6O didn't wait for an answer, withdrawing her thigh and slipping a finger into 2B's glistening entrance, making her gasp. She could've prolonged it, could've teased her lips, but no. She was just as desperate as 2B was for this. Her finger made a come-hither motion inside of 2B, making her writhe underneath her touch, while teasing lips found their way back to the girl's still-erect nipple.

Another of 6O's slender fingers eased its way inside 2B – the combat android responded by trying desperately to ride her palm. All the while, the operator's other hand maintained its position on her neck, gently gliding her fingertips over the skin it covered, back and forth.

It didn't take long at all for 2B to start mixing desperate whines in with her moans, and so 6O reluctantly removed herself from tormenting her breast, in favour of whispering teases she hoped would push the girl over the edge.

“Aw... I never knew I could make you this desperate for me,” she giggled, withdrawing her fingers. 2B almost screamed, but remained in place, whimpering. “Want me to put them back...?”

“Please... I need it...”

“Mm? What was that? I didn't hear you...” 6O was truly enjoying this, in more ways than one. Her own thighs were dripping with sweet nectar.

“I said... _please_...”

“Ohh, _that's_ what you said... mm, okay, tell you what...” said 6O, her voice dripping with lust, “tell me your body is mine, and your heart is mine, and I'll take you where you wanna go, okay?”

“They're both... all yours... you know they are...! You... know I wouldn't let anyone else do this...” 2B panted, trying her best to keep her voice clear so she wouldn't have to repeat herself again.

“Mm... good girl.”

2B's eyes opened wide, and a loud, sharp intake of breath from her took them both by surprise.

“Oh, do you like thaaat?” teased 6O, slipping the two fingers back inside, and curling them against her tightening passage.

“Mm, _yes_...”

“I'll remember that,” she said, deliberately fucking her with her fingers now, pushing inside as far as she could go, and letting the palm rub against 2B's sensitive, swollen clitoris.

2B lasted less than a minute before she began to buck and strain against 6O's entire body, screaming out her name – emphasising the “ _oh_ ” in “ _SIX-OH” –_ and completely soaking her hand and the bed with her juices.

She lay there, immobile, aside from heavy, shuddering breaths that made her chest rise and fall erratically.

“That was...”

“Pretty great, right?!” said 6O, dropping her very-in-control façade instantly.

“I... suppose you could put it that way...”

“Aren't you glad you trusted me? Huh?”

2B smiled, before remembering just how embarrassing the whole experience was, and covered her face with both of her hands.

“Aww, 2B! We all have things we like, don't worry! Liiike, for example, I –”

“You...?”

“Ah... haha, that can wait until another time...”

“But that's not fair at all,” said 2B, regaining some of her composure. “I entirely humiliated myself in front of you, and –”

As she had repositioned herself, her knee had brushed against 6O's crotch – and now she knew entirely how the poor girl must feel at that moment.

“Oh, um, don't worry about that, I'll take care of it later... tonight was about you, you know?”

“No, please,” said 2B, “please, tell me.” As she spoke, she slid down the bed, despite her weakened muscles, and flipped over onto her front, her mouth inches from 6O's soaking wet mound.

“2B...?”

“I don't know what I'm doing, but... I want to do this, for you... and if you wanted to tell me the things you like while I'm … while I'm … then I'd like if you trusted me with that, too.”

She wasted no time in burying her face deep in 6O's thighs. She was entirely inexperienced, and so she didn't bother with any kind of teasing. Not that it was needed. Her tongue was already deep inside her partner, and she showed no sign of wanting to prolong it either.

6O struggled to keep up her end of the bargain she never got a chance to agree to.

“I... _ahh_ , 2B... I really like... I like when my fingers are kissed – _mmnh_ – I like... when... my nipples are bitten, hard... _oh, fuck_... and I... I love when –” she hesitated, embarrassed despite herself, “– when my feet are played with and kissed and licked and – _ohh, fuck...._ there's more, but... not right now, okay...”

2B hummed affirmation, making 6O push herself onto her face to feel her deeper inside, the vibrations of her voice going deep into her core.

One more lick after that was all it took to take her over the precipice. She squirmed and squealed and begged for more and cried out and flailed and writhed and – passed out?

2B smiled as she dragged herself back up to eye level with her, and kissed her tired, pretty face, over and over. 6O smiled in her sleep.

She didn't regret any of it. She was still incredibly embarrassed, and probably would be every time after this for a long time to come, but... she was happy. She could finally trust someone with every facet of her being.

They both slept soundly, both entirely fulfilled.

 


End file.
